i8o HUNTING TRIPS 



grown up with tall grass and sage-brush. 

 We were thus well sheltered from the wind ; 

 and when one morning we looked out and 

 saw the wet snow lying on the ground, and 

 with its weight bending down the willow 

 bushes and loading the tall evergreens, while 

 the freezing sleet rattled against the canvas, 

 we simply started a roaring fire of pine logs 

 in front of the tent, and passed a cosy day 

 inside, cleaning guns, reading, and playing 

 cards. Blue grouse, elk hams, and deer sad- 

 dles hung from the trees around, so we had 

 no fear of starvation. Still, towards evening 

 we got a little tired, and I could not resist 

 taking a couple of hours' brisk ride in the 

 mist, through a chain of open glades that 

 sloped off from our camp. 



Later on we made a camp at the head of 

 a great natural meadow, whre two streams 

 joined together, and in times long gone by 

 had been dammed by the beaver. This had 

 at first choked up the passage and made a 

 small lake ; then dams were built higher and 

 higher up, making chains of little ponds. 



